Remember last summer when you were so excited and enthusiastic after seeing your friend’s before and afters of her 25kg weight loss transformation, in what seemed to you to have been an overnight sensation.

Your excitement created a knee-jerk reaction and you signed up to the latest weight-loss program and invested in a new gym membership. Being a busy woman with so many commitments already, you forgot to question whether that was what you really wanted and whether you were committed to doing the work required to achieve such an outcome.

And as the emotion of that exciting moment began to fade, your focus faded along with it. After a few weeks your runners started collecting dust and that new shiny diet was replaced with chocolate.

All this excitement got you going, but it wasn’t enough to keep you going…

That initial excitement you felt was so satisfying and energizing because of the promise it made. But you lacked commitment, and that is what actually delivers on that promise. Excitement begins the process of achievement. Commitment sees it through to completion.

Beyond the initial excitement, success requires commitment. Commitment keeps you going long after the novelty has worn off. 

So how can you tell if you’re fully committed to reaching a particular goal?–let’s explore this further.

Relentless commitment, as defined by the English dictionary means that you are someone who is determined to do something and refuses to give up, even if what you are doing is challenging.

When your commitment is relentless, it is firm and unshakable.

 In fact, it’s unwavering! 

Just as it sounds, the word unwavering refers to something that will not waver, wander, or go astray. Unwavering most often refers to mental determination.

It’s one thing to be excited about beginning a new pursuit. It is something altogether different to keep going long after the initial thrill has faded, when very real and very difficult challenges begin to emerge. 

Anyone can express their commitment in words. True commitment is shown by actions, by persistence, by the willingness to do whatever it takes.

You may have found yourself previously committed to developing a new habit or learning a new skill, or to keeping a promise, etc. 

However, how many of these commitments do you actually keep?

This is what true deep commitment is:

• Commitment is action. It goes far beyond words or good intentions. 

• Commitment is more than a promise. It is a promise fulfilled.

• Commitment is attention. You must continually attend to our commitments, or they soon lose their value.

• Commitment is persistent. It does not wither at the first sign of trouble. In fact, it grows stronger with every challenge. 

• Commitment is responsible. 

• Commitment is intentional.

Here are 7 steps to developing Relentless Commitment to something that’s really important to you:

Step 1 – Choose your commitments

You won’t be able to commit to anything if you try to commit to everything. Be willing to say no to the things that are not really important, and you’ll be able to say yes, in a big way, to those things that are most meaningful.

One, carefully selected, quality commitment will bring much more value to your life than a whole calendar full of shallow, relatively meaningless ones. 

For example, whether you want to lose 15kg in 3 months or write a book in 6 months, you need to give that thing priority and complete focus if you want to succeed.

Step 2 – Get clear about what you really want

In order to commit to something, you must have clarity about what it is you want, or in other words, what you are specifically committing yourself to.

There is a difference between a “commitment” and just being interested in something. When you’re committed to something, you have some very strong reasons for why you want that “something” in your life. On the other hand, when you’re merely interested in something, you simply don’t have enough reasons to want that “thing” in your life.

To gain clarity about what you really want, try asking yourself these questions:

• What is it that I want to do?

• What is it that I want to commit myself to do?

To identify the importance of your commitment ask yourself:

• Why do I want this?

• Why specifically do I want this right now?

• What are the benefits of having this thing in my life?

Commitment unlocks the doors of imagination, allows vision, and gives us the ‘right stuff’ to turn our dreams into reality. – James Womack

Step 3 – Identify Conflicting Commitments

Deep commitment to something requires your time and attention to bring it to fruition.

It’s all about prioritizing and focusing on the most important thing that will have the biggest impact on your life at this very moment. 

To gain clarity try asking yourself these questions:

• What conflicting commitments do I have?

• What things might directly conflict with the goal I am wanting to achieve?

Step 4 – Create Your Inspiring Vision

Commitment needs motivation, and the best way to motivate yourself is by creating an inspiring vision for the achievement of your goal. 

Your vision must be so engaging that it gets you up in the morning full of energy and enthusiasm and keeps you focused and inspired throughout the day.

It has to be something that is so exciting that you can’t stop thinking about it and you smile every time you see it.

Your inspiring vision will raise your commitment level!

Here are some suggestions:

• Create a vision that is your own (not someone else’s)

• You must own it

• You must take full responsibility for bringing this vision of your goal into reality

Step 5 – Identify the obstacles 

Obstacles can often derail your level of commitment to a given path.

However, it’s not the obstacles that are the problem. The problem is that these obstacles weren’t expected, and because you didn’t expect to confront these obstacles you are simply not prepared to handle them. 

To avoid this mistake, try asking yourself these questions:

• What could potentially prevent me from getting what I want?

• What obstacles outside of me could derail my efforts? What specific circumstances? What specific people?

• What obstacles within me could derail my efforts? Limiting beliefs? Mindset? Unhelpful habits?

• How will I handle each of these obstacles?

• What if I can’t successfully handle them? How could I adapt?

‘Commitment makes itself evident when the obstacles start to appear.”

Step 6 – Avoid distractions and excuses

It’s always easy to make excuses when your life is busy and you have a long list of to-dos’.

The habit of making excuses scatters your focus and attention and you may lose focus on your outcome. 

You may also doubt yourself at times and get tempted with short term pleasures which can create a chain reaction.

These instant gratifications are commitment killers that can derail and take you of track.

For example, you may be tempted to indulge in some small temptation right now, however, consider what this temptation is distracting you from doing, and BE AWARE of the ensuing pain this could lead to in the future. 

To avoid this mistake, try asking yourself these questions:

• What is this temptation distracting me from?

• What am I trying to avoid doing? Why?

• How can I make what I’m trying to avoid doing more pleasurable and fun?

• What are the long-term consequences of indulging in this temptation?

Step 7 – Create an affirmation to keep you focused 

There will be times and situations when you may find it challenging to stay focused. It’s helpful to have something that can help direct your focus and attention back to what you committed to.

I find affirmations very helpful in situations like this.

I find its always best to come up with an affirmation that is unique and specific to you. Make your affirmation work for you so when you say it you feel like you can immediately direct your attention to the very things that will help you stay fully committed to the goal you desire to achieve.

Here are some examples of affirmations you can use when and if you lose focus:

• I demonstrate my commitment through my actions. …

• I honour all my commitments to myself and others. …
  I honour all my intentions by acting on them daily. …

• I am fully focused and ready to take the next step…

Being Relentlessly Committed is not easy. It takes effort. It takes dedication and focus. It demands a level of motivation that goes beyond the thrill of the moment. To be committed, you must find a personally meaningful, driving reason to support your commitment, and then continually remind yourself of that reason.

Final thoughts…

I hope this article has given you some clarity about what you really want so that you can build relentless commitment & Get It!

Now it’s over to you…

• How will you take something that you’d like to have and make it into something you actually do have?

Today is the day to start making it happen. 

As William James said, “To change one’s life: Start immediately. Do it flamboyantly. No exceptions.”

If you are serious about building deep commitment, that is firm and unshakable, to see your important ,desired goal to completion, lets chat to talk about your next steps, book a free 15-min mini-coaching session with me and I’ll show you how to transform your life.